Biography
Hongmin Ahn is an incoming student at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies in Yokohama, Japan (2024-25). He holds a Master of Theological Studies in Buddhism from Harvard Divinity School at Harvard University, United States, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Bard College, also located in the United States. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Mr Ahn’s research focuses on modern transnational Buddhism in Korea and Japan, exploring their history, culture, practices, gender dynamics, and institutions such as clerical marriage and the popularisation of Buddhism through military chaplaincy.
Supported by IAFOR grants, Mr Ahn’s forthcoming ethnographic study on Japan’s Shikoku Island will examine Buddhism's socio-economic and demographic changes, particularly evolving female leadership and ageing, declining populations. His work seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and contemporary religious realities, offering insights into how Buddhist communities navigate and adapt to rapid social changes throughout East Asia.
Panel Presentation (2024) | TBA
